The Three Strongest Components for an In-store Technology Ecosystem

As more brands turn to tablet-based in-store devices to connect the personal mobile experience with a digital in-store experience, finding the right technology with which to build becomes imperative.

The strongest in-store technology ecosystem uses the market’s leading vendors – Apple, IBM and Aila – for the best devices, apps and device enclosures. Here’s how they work together…

Start with Apple’s iPad and iPod

Apple’s suite of highly-engineered iPad and iPod are the strongest choice for establishing a digital environment in-store. They’re not only beautifully-designed and robustly built, but offer a user-friendly and familiar interface that’s easy for sales associates and customers alike to use.

The newest iPads from Apple, the iPad Pro 12.9-inch and the iPad Pro 9.7-inch, offer large, bright screens that attract customers and are easy to read. Their sleek design complements any aesthetic, and they offer the technological quality Apple is known for.

Use IBM’s apps

IBM has created a stellar development community for apps, so there’s almost no limit to app choice and reliability, especially if you’re using Apple products. They support their development community with forums, blogs and wikis – IBM’s knowledge share is famously high and thus the apps built are more robust.

Turn to Aila for handheld cases and kiosks

The third, and very critical, piece of a strong in-store technology system is choosing the device cases and enclosures that augment your invest in excellent devices and apps. Aila’s Interactive Kiosk and the Mobile Imager both use sophisticated scanning technology, powered by Apple devices’ native cameras and software, to deliver omnidirectional, 1D & 2D scanning for a variety of symbologies, including Digimarc.

The Interactive Kiosk is one of the most versatile kiosks on the market, with successful deployments as a smart fitting room device, greeting kiosk for couponing and loyalty programs, in-aisle display for inventory exploration and as a deli ordering system with ticket printer. It’s designed for Apple’s iPad Air 2 as well as both Pro sizes, and it features Aila’s superior scanning technology.

The Mobile Imager boasts the market’s slimmest form factor, so almost no weight or size is added to the already-sleek iPod. Sales associates and customers love that it’s lightweight and delivers true one-handed scanning capabilities.

Before you attempt to build an in-store digital experience for your shoppers, consider using the Apple-IBM-Aila combination for the very best devices, apps and cases/kiosks. That way, when it’s time to deploy your in-store technology ecosystem, you’ll have the reliability of industry leaders behind you.